image description — Williams College and the town of Williamstown have partnered to build a solar array atop the town landfill similar to this one atop the North Adams landfill.

Williams, Town Partner to Build Solar Array on Capped Landfill

03:14PM / Wednesday, July 27, 2016Print Story | Email Story

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williams College and the town of Williamstown have signed an agreement that moves forward a previously stalled solar energy project that will provide low-cost, renewable energy to town facilities, the fire district and the regional school district.

The project aligns with the college’s climate change response plan goals to support local and regional renewable energy projects.

Under the terms of the agreement, Williams will invest approximately $6 million to complete construction of a 1.9-megawatt solar array on the capped town landfill on Simonds Road. The town began the project in 2014 with a commercial developer but after initial designs and studies were completed, the need for major infrastructure upgrades rendered the project economically unfeasible for the developer. After speaking with Williamstown Town Manager Jason Hoch, the college began exploring ways to assist the town. As a result of Williams' lower return requirements and commitment to local renewable energy, the college was in a position to get the project back on track.

"We had reached a point where the installation as originally planned was no longer financially viable and faced the difficult prospect of abandoning the project altogether," Hoch said. "Williams’ interest came at precisely the right time to allow us to proceed with this important solar facility that will benefit all of Williamstown."

Williams will provide the initial $6 million investment to construct the project. The college is seeking a tax equity partner that would co-own the solar array and provide $2 million toward the project during the final stages of construction.

Williamstown will use energy from the array to power all of its municipal buildings and the fire district building and streetlights, as well as facilities of the regional school district. The discounted clean power will provide both savings and price stability to the town’s energy budget by locking in a long-term price for electricity at less than half the price the town currently pays. The town will also receive no fewer than 20 years of structured property tax revenue from the landfill, a property that otherwise generates no tax revenue for the community.

"We’re delighted to partner with Williamstown in restarting this solar project," says Williams President Adam Falk. "As the college moves forward with a wide-ranging set of initiatives to help address the global climate change crisis, we’re pleased to be able to invest in renewable energy right in our own community."

EOS Ventures of Hancock has been selected by the college to serve as development consultants for the project. With substantial experience in developing and financing renewable energy projects throughout the region, EOS will undertake full oversight of all development and construction activities associated with the project.

The landfill solar project now qualifies for various state incentives thanks to recent changes in Massachusetts law that have expanded net metering and encourage the development of renewable energy projects serving towns and other municipal entities throughout Massachusetts.

Tags: landfill, solar, solar array, Williams College,

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Letter: Vote No on 'Jungle' Primaries

Letter to the Editor02:05PM / Wednesday, September 30, 2026

To the Editor:

They don't call them "jungle primaries" for nothing.

Question 3 on the November ballot would trash two-party primary elections and replace them with California-style, chaotic — and extraordinarily costly — "jungle" primaries that would destroy the very political parties that have kept America stable since Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison created them in the 1790s.

Jungle primaries put all candidates, regardless of party, on one ballot with the top two vote-getters facing off in the general election — even if they're from the same party. That would create chaos, but the real issue is money: Jungle primaries give a distinct advantage to candidates backed by corporate money and the super wealthy. In short, jungle primaries move our primaries from the ballot box to big donor meetings long before campaigning even begins.

When something this radical is proposed, you have to look at who's behind it, who's funding it, and ask "why" they are doing it.

Their philosophical guru is Danielle Allen, a Harvard professor who ran for governor in 2022 but couldn't get 15 percent of the Democratic Convention vote to win the party's endorsement.

The money behind this extreme attack on small "d" democratic politics tells us more. With over $5 million in the bank as of Aug. 28, this is a very well-funded campaign — the lion's share of which came from wealthy Boston-area private equity individuals.

Twenty-two private equity executives gave $3.99 million, or 77 percent of all the money from individuals. Current and former Bain Capital executives contributed $1.92 million, and Berkshire Partners executives put up $1.32 million. In short, 22 rich people put up nearly $4 million to change how five million of us vote. Yes, it seems the ultra-wealthy want to destroy the two-party system that has kept our politics stable for 200 years.

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